


Heart Grows Fonder

by KAZ1167



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Basically just Viktor realizing how much he loves Yuuri, Feelings, Introspection, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-09-06 04:09:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8734372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KAZ1167/pseuds/KAZ1167
Summary: Viktor flies coach back to Japan. It was the only available ticket left on such short notice. He feels a little ridiculous, watching the Russian airport shrink as the plane takes off, wondering where Yuuri is amongst the throng of little cars and shrinking roads below him.
____
When Viktor is apart from Yuuri in Episode 9.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Now available in [Italian](http://www.efpfanfic.net/viewstory.php?sid=3601539&i=1), thanks to the wonderful [ClassOf13.](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ClassOf13/pseuds/ClassOf13)

Viktor flies coach back to Japan. It was the only available ticket left on such short notice. He feels a little ridiculous, watching the Russian airport shrink as the plane takes off, wondering where Yuuri is amongst the throng of little cars and shrinking roads below him. 

 

He tries to remember the last time he felt such a strong ache in his chest and blinks away the burn in his eyes.  He really can’t think of anything that compares. 

 

He reads over the last text from Yuuri on his phone (on airplane mode, of course) - “Yuuko will be at the airport when you arrive. Her number is ... Mari has all of Makkachin’s paperwork with her at the vet already. Please get there safely and don’t worry about anything other than Makkachin.”

 

Viktor smiles a little at Yuuri’s inability to just say “don’t worry about me,” like it’s too presumptuous. It’s still a strange, endearing part of Yuuri he hasn’t figured out. Yuuri, who demands Viktor’s attention remain only on him on ice. Yuuri, who hesitates to believe he deserves Viktor’s affection off the ice. Yuuri, who can’t seem to grasp just how much of Viktor’s world he has become. 

 

There aren’t many other texts to scan through. Most are messages communicating details to one another - “I’m already at the rink,” “I’m grabbing food with Minako, but I’ll see you back at yu-topia at 2,” “Went for a run, be back soon. ^^”

 

He supposes that it makes sense. For the past seven months (roughly 200 days, Viktor may or may not have counted), they’ve constantly been by each other’s sides. Not much use for texting, when the person you want to talk to most is right beside you. 

 

He slips his phone back into his pocket, that uncomfortable ache back in his chest, and lets his head fall back against the seat. Maybe if he closes his eyes, he’ll be able to sleep a bit before they land. Maybe. 

 

* * *

 

Yuuko is possibly the sweetest person Viktor knows. The second he spots her, she’s waving enthusiastically, still trying to smile at him even though her eyes are creased in concern. Before he can get a word out, she’s pulling at his luggage while simultaneously trying to hug him. 

 

“I’m so, so,  _so sorry_  about Makkachin, he’s doing ok right now, but we all feel terrible for not keeping a closer eye on him and -”

 

“Don’t apologize, Makkachin has a tendency to get in trouble, even when I’m around.” He smiles down at her, gently squeezing her shoulder. She loads his suitcase into the backseat of the car, shooing away any help Viktor tries to offer. 

 

The car ride is mostly quiet, save for the turned-down radio, and Viktor suddenly feels the lack of sleep and worry catching up to him. 

 

“Do you mind if... Well. How was Yuuri? When you left, I mean.” 

 

“He seemed.... alright. He was quiet when I left, but... I asked Yakov to coach him while I was gone, so hopefully that’ll help him with the Free Skate.”

 

“How was he about Makkachin though?” Yuuko’s question pulls him from his thoughts and he blinks her profile into focus, not having realized his eyes had slipped closed at some point, processing her question. 

 

“He was worried. He actually is the one who insisted I come back.” He sees something sad and fond cross Yuuko’s face. Viktor thought the frantic nature of Yuuri’s response to Mari’s phone call seemed too strong to just be about Makkachin, but he hadn’t the time to try to unlock whatever Yuuri wasn’t sharing. 

 

Yuuko sighs, lips pulling into a sad smile. “I don’t know how much Yuuri’s told you, but his dog passed away right before last year’s Grand Prix.”

 

“Oh? I’m sorry... I’d seen the shrine at Yu-topia, so I knew he had a poodle, but I didn’t know when...” 

 

“Mm. Yuuri hadn’t really seen much of Vicchan in the past year, what with training in Detroit, so I think he felt... it was just.... hard.”

 

“That... makes a lot of sense.” It’s quiet again as Viktor glances down at his phone, wondering if he should text Yuuri or not. He doesn’t want to distract him, but he just...  _wants_. Wants to know he’s there, on the other end of a message. Wants to feel like the distance between them isn’t actually as real as it is. 

 

>> **Viktor:**  Landed safely in Japan. On the way to the vet’s with Yuuko. 

>> **Yuuri:**  glad you got there safely. please pass along my thanks to yuuko and take care of makkachin. 

 

Viktor feels far too happy when he sees the message pop up on his screen. He’s tired and stressed and worried about so many things, but he feels a little less of it just knowing Yuuri is there. 

 

>> **Viktor** : Will do. And Yuuri ~ You’ll skate beautifully today, I know you will. Miss you.  <3

 

He sends it before he can think too much about it - if he should say more or if the heart was too much or if he should not say anything about skating - because, for all of Viktor’s flirting and touching, this -  _this ridiculous aching feeling -_ is new for him, too. 

 

>> **Yuuri:**  thanks viktor  
  
>> **Yuuri:**  i miss you too  
  
>> **Yuuri:**  <3

 

Viktor bites back his smile at Yuuri’s last text. God, he’s so far gone, it’s ridiculous and terrifying and amazing, all at once. 

 

He stares at the “<3″ for a minute more and then locks the test message in their conversation. 

 

* * *

 

Mari has her knees pulled into her chest, looking the most worked up Viktor has ever seen her. The second Viktor walks into the vet’s office, she’s scrambling out of her chair to tell him what happened, how sorry she is, what the vet is doing right now, how sorry she is, what paperwork Viktor needs to complete now that he’s here, how sorry she is - 

 

“Mari, it’s alright. It’s not your fault,” Viktor says, a comforting smile in place. He knows it was an accident; he doesn’t blame anyone. 

 

It’s strange to see someone usually so placid so shaken. 

 

Mari waits with him in the vet’s office for the next few hours, occassionally stepping out to smoke or making small talk. She comes back with coffee for the both of them after her second smoking break and Viktor appreciates the caffeine.  It’s only a 6 hour time difference between Moscow and Japan, with Japan ahead of Moscow, but he’s definitely feeling it with the help of his frazzled nerves. 

 

The coffee is still warm in his hands when the vet comes out to tell them that Makkachin will be alright and that they’ll be able to come see him in a bit. Viktor sighs, far more heavily than he expected himself to, and feels relief wash through him. He can tell Mari is equally relieved and, while she could easily leave Viktor to wait for Makkachin on his own, she simply waits with him instead. It’s ... nice. 

 

“You know, Yuuri had a poodle too, right?” Mari says, after an extra long sip of coffee. 

 

“Vicchan?” Viktor says, glancing over at Mari as she pulls out her phone. She starts flipping through pictures saved in her phone’s gallery, a poodle strikingly similar to Makkachin coming up on the screen. 

 

“Yeah. Yuuri’s gonna kill me for telling you this, but he named his poodle after you. We all ended up calling him Vicchan, but boy, was he obsessed with you. Not that that’s changed  _at all_  now.” 

 

Viktor doesn’t know what to really say at first, settling for just glancing up at Mari with wide eyes, but she doesn’t seem deterred by his silence. 

 

“Seriously, you do not understand. Like do you  _know_  how many posters of you he had up in his room? I’m pretty sure some of them were even the same freaking picture, just in different sizes! He’s taken them all down now since you’re here and he’d probably die if you saw them, but oh my  _god_. Oh, and there was this time when Yuuri was like, thirteen or fourteen, where he tried to convince our parents to let him grow his hair out so he could wear it like you were wearing it... Can you imagine? Yuuri with long hair? I mean, I love my brother, but  _no_...”

 

She says it with such a straight face that Viktor can’t help but laugh, thankful for the release, and he’s happy to see Mari start quietly laughing too. Of course he already knew that Yuuri had been quite the fan of his - he’d known that when he saw the perfectly memorized and executed version of his routine for  _Stay Close to Me_  - and he’s not actually laughing at Yuuri at all, it’s just - this is - nice, he supposes. It feels like he’s a part of something, with Mari sharing embarrassing secrets about her brother and waiting with him while Makkachin’s in the vet’s care. 

 

It feels like  _family_.

 

It makes his chest ache all over again.

 

"You’re right,” Viktor starts, laughter dying down, “Yuuri would kill you for telling me all of this.”

 

“Look, I’m only telling you because this was a really shitty situation and shitty timing and... My brother really cares about you, and not just because you’re Viktor Nikforov, figure skating legend, you know?” Mari pauses, taking a sip of her coffee. 

 

“I know. I really care about Yuuri, too.” Viktor says, a small smile on his face before raising his own coffee to his lips. 

 

“Oh, I  _know_  you do. I, unfortunately, saw you tackle-kiss my brother  _on national TV_  not too long ago.” Mari says, cringing at the memory. Viktor’s back to fighting the smile that wants to spread across his face.

 

“What can I say, I’m quite a fan of your brother’s. Maybe I should get a poster of him for my own room --”

 

“Jesus Christ, you’re going to make me sick.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

It’s almost 10pm in Japan when the live coverage of the Men’s Free Skate starts. Viktor’s fairly certain that the next 3 or so hours of watching not only Yuuri but everyone is going to take a least two years off of his life. Or at least hasten his hair’s thinning, which is almost as bad. 

 

It’s the standard gathering of fans at Yu-topia, but the energy is different. These performances determine whether Yuuri advances to the Grand Prix; there’s no second chance to gain points. And, Viktor thinks, it’s also because he’s here, rather than with Yuuri. 

 

Emil’s routine is fine, but not enough. Michele Crispino’s performance is strong, strong enough that it could prove problematic depending on how Yuuri performs. Seung Gil Lee won’t be able to place after his mistakes. 

 

“Ah, it’s Yurio’s turn!” Yuuko practically shouts, the triplets shrieking beside her. 

 

Yurio is something else. He’s familiar with the direction Yurio’s decided to take - growing out his hair, picking a daring costume - and it  _suits_  him, even if he does look like an angry kitten at times. The routine is beautiful and his skating is flawless, but Viktor can’t help but think that something is still missing from Yurio’s routine or performance. Everything is so complicated and Yurio can execute, undoubtedly, and he can’t quite pinpoint what he’s thinking, but sometimes things should just be _simple_. 

 

Yurio’s score comes up and he gives a small fist pump into the air as Yuuko and the triplets scream in excitement. Yurio is going to the Grand Prix. 

 

Viktor would probably be more excited if his heart hadn’t decided to lodge itself in his throat and choke him just now. 

 

Yuuri’s center stage, poised and ready. 

 

The room is so quiet, Viktor wonders if everyone can hear how intensely his heart is pounding. It’s deafening to him. 

 

And then Yuuri starts. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Yuuri’s performance isn’t perfect. He pops one of his jumps, touches the ice with his hand. Viktor can tell he’s thinking, he’s distracted, and he’s not nailing his elements as a result. 

 

But. 

 

He is so, so beautiful. 

 

And Viktor has never been more in love. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**> >Viktor: **Congrats on making it to the Grand Prix.  
  
**> >Yuuri:** thank you.   
  
**> >Yuuri:** it wasn’t my best performance.   
  
**> >Viktor:** It wasn’t, true.  
  
**> >Viktor:** I’m still proud of you.   
  
**> >Viktor:** When will you be home?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> And then Viktor meets Yuuri at the airport and I die. Literally just. Die. 
> 
> Also, I really like the idea of Mari telling Viktor all the embarrassing things about Yuuri bc she's an older sister and that's what older sisters are for, and I feel like Viktor does not have strong attachments to his own family in Russia and just feels so loved with Yuuri's family. 
> 
> Also, I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out when Yuuri would be performing in Moscow for basically one sentence of context, but it's cool, now I have all the details about the 2016-2017 Rostlecom Cup save on my computer for Future Reference. 
> 
> I really hope you all like this. I haven't written anything in a while and feel the rust, but I just. love. this. pairing. T.T


End file.
